Fake NBA Trade of the Day 5/26/16: Okafor to Denver

Every day, Pick and Popovich will post one fake trade and explain why it makes sense for every team involved to make it. There are no parameters beyond fitting within the salary cap. Sometimes the trades will involve stars, others role players. They are not grounded in actual rumors, they just make sense on paper. During the 2016 NBA Playoffs, each week will feature seven fake trades of one star player. This is Jahlil Okafor Week.

Philadelphia 76ers Receive: Denver Nuggets Receive:

No. 7 overall pick Jahlil Okafor

Gary Harris

Jusuf Nurkic

Why Philadelphia would make this trade: The No. 7 pick is usually a high-level starter and both Harris and Nurkic project as high-end rotation players, so the Sixers could trade Okafor, a player they no longer need, for a good starter and two good bench players. That’s a huge win for them considering their leverage isn’t exactly great.

Why Orlando would make this trade: Yes, the Nuggets have plenty in the front court, but Nikola Jokic can shoot a bit and if Denver thinks he’ll be a solid defender Mike Malone is a good enough coach to figure out how to hide Okafor on that end. The advantage of finally giving them a go-to scorer who’s young enough to grow with the rest of the core is worth the hefty price they’d have to pay.